Warping apparatus



NOV. 27, 1934. J E E 1,982,507

WARPING APPARATUS Filed April 7, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 fwwa dgw WARPING APPARATUS NOV. 27, 1934. J E lTE WARPING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 7, 1932 Nov. 27, 1934. J. E. FITE 1,982,507

WARPING APPARATUS Filed April '7, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 27, 1934 j {UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WARPING APPARATUS} a1... Ellsworth Fite, Philadelphia, Pa. Application April ,7, 1932, Sam No. 603,851 V 3 Claims. (01. 28-35) This invention relates to an apparatus and method for warping uncovered strands or threads of rubber. The object of the invention is towind uncovered rubber, strands or threads on a .warp

5 beam or spool for use in a loom without placing the rubber threads under anytension whatsoever, in order that the rubber threads may be fed to the loom, such as narrow fabric or tape loom adapted for producingelastic,webbing or fabric,

in a fully contracted normal state.

Rubber threads as they come from extruding or other forming machines are woundon a primary spool in superposed layers, by what is generally known as straight winding, that is,. the

threads in each and all layers are substantially parallel circumferentially; of the spool,'consequently the threads in onelayer frequently are pulled, pressed, or jammed] down between the threads of the underlying, layer, as a resu1t,.for

example, of unavoidable variations between-the linear speed of production and the linear speed of winding ofthe individual threads, therefore, as the threads'are being drawn off the primary spool the-threads of the one layer that are jammed in among-the threads of the underlying layer produces a spasmodic pull or tension on the threadbeing withdrawn, which produces an uneven tension on the thread which makes it impossible to rewind the thread on a warp beam without having any tension in the thread. The total absence of tension in the threads is essential when uncovered rubber threads are wound on a beam to be used in a loom for making elastic fabric.

:The method of the present invention contemplates the unwinding of the threads from the straight wound primary spools,as received from the extruding machine, and to rewind the threads on other secondary carrying spools, by what is generally known as the funiversal or cross wind method, to prevent the threads of one layer from sticking to. the threads of an underlying layer. I

A plurality of these secondary cross. wound spools are subsequently placed in a suitable supporting frame, and the cross wound rubber threads are fed off the secondary spools at a uniform predetermined linear speed; and at the same time the plurality of threads are rewound on the warp beam, by the old straight wind meth- 0d, at the same linearspeedat'which the threads are fed from the cross wound spools.

As a result of this method of rewinding the threads on the warp beam, the threads on the beam will not be under any tension whatsoever even though the straight wound method is used '14 and 15 are frames 16 and 1''! respectively, these in rewinding the threads on the warp beam, consequently the threads can be withdrawn from the warp beam without sticking together and asa result thereof the rubber .warp threads pass from the warp beam to the tensioning device of the loom without tension, and the tensioning device of the loom can consequently place allthe warps uniformly under any desired tension as they Pass into the shedding mechanism of the loom.

Fig. 1 of theaccompanying drawings is a plan view of the machine which receives the straight wound primary spools, as they come from the thread-forming machine, and by which the threads are cross wound on the secondary spools;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken'on the line 22, Fig. l; l i q i Fig. 3 is a plan view of the rewinding apparatus wherein the threadsare rewound from the cross wound secondary spools onto the warp beam under the straight wind method but without tension;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig.3;and

Fig. 5 is-a sectional elevation taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 3. v 5

The apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a framework :1 in which is rotatably mounted a pair of drums 2and 3 respectively, andwhich are exactly the same diameter, the drums 2 and 3 being secured to shafts 4 and 5 respectively which are rotatably mounted in the framework 1. s5 Rotatably mounted in suitable bearings carried by or formed in the framework 1 is a cam shaft '7 on which is secured a sprocket wheel 8, around which passes a drive chain 9 which also passes around. sprocket-wheels 10 and 11 on the shafts Land 5 respectively, the shaft ,5 being provided with tight and loosepulleys 12 and 13respectively by which the machine is driven.

Pivotally mounted to the frame l at the points frames being in alignment. with each other and with the drums 2 and 3 as shown in Fig. 1.

The frame 16 is adapted to receive the straight wound spools r as they come from the threadforming machine, the drum 2 fitting between the flanges of the spool a: so that the outermost layer of the rubber threads r bears against the peripheral surface of the drum 2, weights 18 being provided on the frame 16 to maintain a driving contact between the outer layer of rubber threads 1' and the peripheral surface of the drum 2.

The frame 17 carries the spool 0: on which the rubber. threads 1 are adapted to be cross wound, the outer layer of the rubber threads bearing against the peripheralsurface of the drum 3 which is disposed intermediate the end flanges of the spool x weights 19 being provided on the frame 17 to maintain a driving contact between the rubber threads 1' on the spool r and the peripheral surface of the drum 3.

The drums 2 and 3, being of the same diameter and driven at exactly the same speed with the outermost layer of rubber threads 1' in each instance bearing against the peripheral surfaces of the drums respectively, causes the threads to be forcibly unwound from the spool :1: and rewound on the spool r at exactly the same lineal speed H The cross winding of the threads 1' on the spool 11: is accomplished by a traversing thread guide 20 which is adapted to reciprocatetransversely of the machine at a fairly high rateofspeedm Such relatively rapid reciprocation of the thread guide 20 produces a shaking action of the thread r as it comes from the spool :13 which loosensthe thread in such places where it has become jammed down between the threads of the-under lying layer, thus preventing the abovementioned' spasmodic tension from being applied to] the thread r as it is unwound from the spool'a', which permits the; thread to run through the traversing eye or guide 20 without any tension'wha'tsoever, the traversing thread guide at the same time winding the thread 1' on the spool; 0: in cross a wound superposed layers, which prevents any pulling of thethreads of one layer between the threads of the-underlying layer;

The traversing guide 20 1s carried by a laterally reciprocable plate oriframe 21' to which is pivotally' attached one end of a lever 22, the opposite end of which is pivotally mounted at 23 to a cross bar 24 of the frame 1. 1 n The lever 22 is slotted intermediate its ends for the reception of a pin or stud 25 projecting upwardly from a: horizontally" disposedbar 26,

which is secured to a rod 27- that is slida-bly mounted in the side frames *1, I' of the machine.

The bar26 is provided with a downwardly extending pin or stud 28' which ridesina camgroove 29 of the cam wheel 30 carried by and rotatable with the cam shaft '7; l v

After winding on the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the spools x are placed in frames 31 which are pivotally mounted at 32 to the framework 33 of the warping machine, the cross'wound threads r on the spools a bearing on the peripheral surfaces of drums 34, 34 which are secured to the shafts 35 that are rotatably mounted in the frame 33.

Each shaft 35 is provided with a sprocket wheel 36'around which passes a drive chain 37 for driving all the" drums 34 at exactlythe same rate of speed, it being noted that all the said drums 34 are of exactly the same diameter. I

Each of the frames3l iS weightechas at 38, for maintaining uniform driving contact between the threads 1" of the outer layer on the spools 0: with the peripheral. surfacesof the drums 34respectively' so that all the threads T will be -forcibly fed from the spools :0 at exactly the' same rate of lineal speed, the threads r passing from the drums .34 through suitable thread guides 39 toa comb or reed 40 carried by. the warp Winding machine 41 which is provided with a drum '42 of exactly the same diameter as the drums 34 above referred to.

The machine. 41 is provided with a frame 43 which is pivotally mounted at 44 to theframe 41 and adapted to receive. the warp spool w. From the pivoted frame '43 is suspended a weight or Weights 55 that maintain a uniform driving contact between the threads 7' as they pass on to the warp spool or beam w and the peripheral surface of the drum 42, which is disposed intermediate the end flanges of the warp spool w.

The drum 42 is secured to a shaft 45 rotatably mounted in the frame of the machine 41 and provided with tight and loose pulleys 46 and 47 by which the warping machine is driven, the shaft 45 being provided with a sprocket wheel 48" around which passes a chain 49 which also passes around a sprocket 50' secured on one of the shafts 35 which are rotatably mounted in the frame 33, so that the rewinding drum 42 and all the unwinding drums 34, all of which ara'of thegsame diameter, are driven at exactly the same peripheral speed, consequently the threads r are forcibly fed or delivered from the spoolswaq at andefinite predetermined lineal speed and are forcibly" wound on the warp beam to at exactly'the same lineal speed, which prevents the production of any tension whatsoever in the threads ras they are wound onto the warp beamsw H '1 1'. In anapparatus forwarping rubber threads in a; substantially normally contracted state the combination'of a pair of relatively-spaced wheels of equal diameter, means for rotating the wheels at substantially equal speeds, means adjacent said wheels for supporting cylindrical packages of rubber thread in frictional contact with the peripheral surfaces of thesa-id wheel's respectively, whereby the thread of one of said packages will be unwound therefrom at a predetermined linear speed substantially equal to the peripheral speed of the contacting wheel and the thread being fed therefrom will extendto and be wound on the other of said packages at substantially the same rate of linear speed by peripheral contact of the last said package with the peripheral surface of the second of said wheels;

j 2. In an apparatus for warping rubber'threads in a substantially normally contracted state the combination of apair'ofrelatively spacedwheels,

means for rotating the whee-ls'at substantially equal peripheral speeds, means adjacent said wheels for"'supporting cylindrical packages" of rubber thread in frictional contact with the peripheral'surfaces of the said wheels respectively, whereby the threadof one of said packages will be unwound therefrom at a predetermined linear speed substantially equal to the peripheral speed of the contacting wheel and thelthread being fed therefrom will extend to and be wound on the other of said packages at substantially the same rate of linear speed by peripheral contact of the last said package with the peripheral surface of the second of said wheels leaving the portion of the thread intermediate the packages in a normally contracted state, and. means for agitatingthe said intermediate portion of the thread to release the thread from retarding influences at the point of delivery from the package being. unwound.

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31 In an apparatus for warping rubber threads in a substantially normally contracted state the combination of a pair of relatively spaced wheels, means for rotating the wheels at substantially equal peripheral speeds, vmeans adjacent said wheels for supporting cylindrical packages of rubber thread in frictional contact with the peripheral surfaces of the said wheels respectively, whereby the thread of one of said packages will beunwound therefrom at a predetermined linear speed substantially equal to the peripheral speed of the contacting wheel and'the thread being fed reciprocating the said intermediate portion of the thread relative to its normal line of travel between said packages for releasing the thread from retarding influences at the point of delivery from the one package and to lay the thread in a normally contracted state in superposed cross-wound layers on the other of said packages.

JOHN ELLSWORTH FITE. 

